Electricity: Nature's Phenomenon

Electricity is a form of energy resulting from charged particles. Did you know thunderclouds can create electric potential up to a billion volts, leading to lightning, nature's own electrical discharge?

Atoms contain charged particles: electrons (negative), protons (positive), and neutrons (neutral). Surprisingly, an electron's mass is approximately 1/1836 that of a proton, yet their charges are equal in magnitude but opposite.

Materials differ in their conductivity. Silver is the best conductor; however, it's costly. Alternatives like copper are used widely. Insulators, such as rubber, resist electric flow, crucial for safely handling electric equipment.

Ohm's Law states V=IR, where V is voltage, I is current, and R is resistance. Interestingly, Georg Ohm faced heavy criticism for his theory, which later revolutionized electrical engineering.

Electromagnetic force is key to electricity, it's one of the universe's fundamental forces. It's the glue holding electrons in atoms and the force pushing them through conductors.

Most electricity is generated by turbines moved by water, wind, or steam. A less known fact: around 70% of the Earth's surface heat escapes as a byproduct of the natural decay of radioactive elements.

Advancements in solar technology may soon allow us to harness more power from the sun than we currently consume as a planet. The potential for 'space-based' solar power is a game-changing frontier.